“Yeah, I guess Secretary Alii went out too?”
“Yes, a friend asked me to have some chicken and coke, so I went out for a bit.”
It had been a while since she had such a long conversation at home. The atmosphere felt different, even though it was the same house as usual.
Her mouth felt dry from the awkwardness, and her heart raced with tension.
But why was he sitting in the living room? Was he… waiting for me?
“Were you waiting for me? Is there something you want to say?”
“No, not really.”
Was it really necessary to be that serious?
Alice was at a loss for words at the immediate response to her question.
“If that’s the case, I’ll go upstairs.”
She answered calmly and turned around, but with each step up the stairs, all sorts of thoughts tangled rapidly in her mind.
Is this really that difficult?
We should at least know the basics about each other. Surely, talking a few more times wouldn’t lead to a divorce.
“V-Vice President!”
Contrary to Alice’s urgent voice, Ryan slowly turned his head.
“Don’t misunderstand; just listen. Shall we get to know each other a bit?”
Ryan carefully read Alice’s serious expression and the unwavering pupils visible through her glasses.
Breaking the brief silence, Ryan took a step toward Alice, who was standing still on the stairs.
“I don’t want to misunderstand either, but that sounds like a misunderstanding.”
“I said that because I thought you might misunderstand! Just focus on getting to know each other, not on each other!”
Ryan’s gaze as he slowly approached seemed fierce. She couldn’t read what he was thinking at all.
Was he going to say something ridiculous?
With her intuition from three years of assisting him, Alice felt that a logical explanation was necessary in this situation.
If the essence of the conversation got muddled, Alice would feel very wronged.
Thinking that way, her mind became clearer, and the effects of the alcohol began to fade.
“Isn’t that right? We’re contract partners, but we don’t know much about each other. I know some of your preferences since I’m the vice president’s secretary, but I don’t know anything about your personal life.”
She couldn’t stop the words flowing out like a burst dam. As she adjusted her glasses that had slipped down while speaking passionately, she continued her fervent speech.
“Once or twice a month, your grandfather invites us for dinner, and I’m worried I might make a mistake.”
I’m worried that this ridiculous marriage situation will be exposed, and I might hurt you… I’m worried.
“If you think about it. If my grandfather asked me if I cook for the vice president and what food he likes the most, and I answered, ‘The vice president really likes crab soup,’ what if the vice president is allergic to crabs? That would be a big problem!”
“Fortunately, I don’t have any allergies.”
Ryan, who had been quietly listening to Alice’s chattering, finally spoke up.
Is this really the time to be discussing allergies? It’s not like I’m asking if you have any!
“That’s really fortunate information. I don’t have any allergies either. We’ve shared a piece of information. There’s a saying that knowing your enemy and knowing yourself means you can win every battle. Of course, I don’t mean to say that the vice president is an enemy. I think an appropriate exchange of information is necessary in business, what do you think, vice president?”
Alice, who was standing about four steps up the stairs, looked down at Ryan, who was standing in front of her. Ryan merely gazed at Alice without making any movement.
The two of them stood there for a long time, like two statues, as if they would never cross that line.
Just as they were waiting for a response, Ryan finally opened his mouth.
“Okay.”
Alice was surprised by Ryan’s unexpected and immediate agreement, but she tried to maintain a calm expression.
However, Ryan’s words didn’t end there.
“So, how about having dinner together tomorrow night?”
Lunchtime.
Alice entered the pantry next to the office and downed a bowl of cup noodles before trying to catch some sleep. The hangover still lingered, and she needed a good rest.
“Today feels particularly itchy!”
It was because she had rushed in the morning. It seemed her wig wasn’t properly secured due to oversleeping while still a bit drunk. Something felt off, as if a pin was stuck incorrectly, making her feel itchy.
Eventually, Alice got up from the sofa and tidied herself up in the mirror hanging on the wall. There were CCTV cameras everywhere, and she couldn’t take off her wig to check in case something happened.
She only fixed her disheveled bangs and left the pantry.
Haam-.
As she sat down and yawned, still feeling drowsy, she heard Ryan’s footsteps.
“So, I was wondering, do you want to have dinner together tomorrow night?”
Alice didn’t expect Ryan to make such a straightforward proposal.
